The Report Card

The Report Card

The Report Card issues grades A through F, and incompletes where necessary, to a variety of news items in this space. Got an idea that makes the grade? Send it to JBuchanan@CITIZEN-TIMES.com

C to this month's shaky jobs report. Employers cut back on hiring in September just before the government shutdown, adding only 148,000 jobs, a sharp decline from August numbers. In spite of this, the unemployment rate actually declined to 7.2 percent, down from 7.3 percent in August. The jobs report itself was delayed two and one-half weeks because of the shutdown; analysts expect the shutdown to impact October's numbers.

B to a better jobs picture on the local front. August numbers in Western North Carolina continued to show slow improvement. The WNC Economic Index increased by 0.02 points to 110.9 for the month, the seventh consecutive gain, according to the Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis at Appalachian State University. "The August numbers showed continued positive movement, though a bit slower than in the previous two months," said professor Todd Cherry, director of the center and a professor in the department of economics in Appalachian's Walker College of Business.

The monthly snapshot measures joblessness, job creation and other economic indicators across the 25 western counties covered by the AdvantageWest economic development partnership. The Asheville metro area of Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood and Madison counties enjoyed the greatest drop in unemployment, down to an average 6.3 percent for the month. Across all 25 counties, unemployment averaged 8.1 percent, down 1.8 percent from a year ago. The mountains job market still beat the statewide average unemployment of 8.7 percent for August.

D to a long-running urban legend regarding job numbers, the "bloated federal workforce.'' PoliticalWire looked into the September jobs report and found the federal workforce is 2.7 million. That's a large number, but it's the lowest figure since 1966. Federal workers represent 2 percent of the jobs in the country, while in 1966 they represented 4.3 percent. That's in spite of a population increase of more than 170 percent over that period.

A to Michael Landsberry, an American hero. Landsberry, a former Marine and math teacher at Sparks Middle School in Sparks, Nev., died protecting his students during Monday's shooting rampage by a 12-year-old boy. Col. Jeffrey Burkett, commander at the Nevada Air Guard's 152nd Airlift Wing where Landsberry served, said, "His actions yesterday I believe saved the lives of many children." Landsberry had served two tours in Afghanistan.

A to Asheville gallery owner John Cram, who has been named one of six recipients of the state's highest civilian honor, the North Carolina Award, for his contributions to fine arts. Cram will receive the award Nov. 21 in Durham. The awards are administered by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. Cram opened New Morning Gallery in 1972 and has been a major force in shaping Asheville into a cultural destination. Cram started the Village Art and Craft Fair, which marked its 41st year this year. Kathi Petersen, longtime Asheville resident and frequent patron of Cram's Fine Arts Theatre, said "All of us who've lived here long before Asheville was 'cool' owe John Cram a tremendous debt of gratitude. Not only was he a pioneer in the renaissance of the downtown area, there are his efforts in Biltmore Village - the annual craft fair and New Morning Gallery, in operation now for more than 40 years. He also generously shares the art of his home and gardens in Kenilworth, which were originally owned by nationally celebrated landscape architect Doan Ogden. John has made a significant effort to preserve that property as he has other historic properties in Asheville. In short, he is a community hero in my book for his vision and his continual investment in making this town what it has become today."

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The Report Card

The Report Card issues grades A through F, and incompletes where necessary, to a variety of news items in this space. Got an idea that makes the grade? Send it to JBuchanan@CITIZEN-TIMES.com C to